Lucivar was reluctant at first.
He couldn't trust anyone, not after what he had experienced.
Even the notion of trusting soone was disgusting for him now, it was repulsive.
Of all the people in the world, he trusted no one but himself.
In this case, he decided to trust Ravenna—not because he trusted her as a person but because he trusted her thirst to beco stronger. Knowing how she ca to power, it beca apparent that Ravenna was desperate to beco stronger.
She doesn't want to lose control again because of her Predator Oculus ability.
She doesn't want to experience the sa painful feeling ever again.
She wanted to be in control of her own actions.
Lucivar trusted her drive and he was instantly rewarded.
Knowing what Leandra was planning, Ravenna made haste to et with Mirel earlier.
Just like how she marked Leandra and Nerissa as prey using her Predator Oculus ability, she also marked Mirel and knew exactly where he was. He was on the hill, training presumably. As a Yellow Lightning Elental Hybrid, his source of strength ca from the sky.
Ravenna and the others except for Lucivar knew about that.
As Lucivar was distracting Leandra who ca to et with Nerissa first, Ravenna bolted to Mirel.
Being the fastest in terms of speed in the entire family, coupled with the distraction Lucivar provided, it was simply impossible for Leandra to beat her in a race. Ravenna reached Mirel and told him to hide from Leandra and he did.
It was all Ravenna, Lucivar didn't need to do anything other than wait.
He was anxious but he didn't need to lift a finger.
And now, he was standing here in front of his grand prize.
Just like how he ca to et with Tobias who ca to save him at the opportune mont and just like how he fatefully ca across Sabrina who has a royal bloodline and is also a devoted personal maid, he t with Ravenna exactly when he needed an ally who could tolerate him the most.
From these series of events alone, Lucivar knew that destiny was on his side.
Or rather, the bad karma he accumulated was twistedly rewarding him.
'Good… Keep feeding to beco stronger, karma. Soon, I will destroy you!'
Nodding his head, Lucivar trotted ahead and opened the citadel's door.
Sabrina and Ravenna were following behind him.
Pushing the heavy door open, he was t with a dark corridor devoid of light.
"Take a left there, they're through the door at the end of the hallway," Ravenna directed.
Upon hearing this, Lucivar nodded and walked through the corridor with slow steps.
Each step he took was a jolt of exhilaration for him.
It was as if there was music playing in his mind, the symphony of approaching death.
He was eager as this would make him stronger and perhaps, help him grow his second wing.
Soon, he reached the designated door and with a gentle push, he saw that beyond was a staircase leading down to the basent. Lucivar, Ravenna, and Sabrina didn't hesitate and descended down until they were greeted by another door.
But this ti, there were noises coming from the other side—a crowd to be exact.
Lucivar couldn't hide his smile anymore and quickly pushed this door open.
A heavy groaning sound was made as the door revealed a haunting tableau.
For many, it was a haunting sight—but for Lucivar, this was a delight that tickled his malicious intent.
Inside this massive underground crypt, hundreds knelt on the cold stone floor.
Each of their limb bound in rusted chains that anchored the rcilessly to the ground—their tattered clothes hung limp on emaciated fras, and coarse brown sacks masked their faces, stripping them of sight and humanity.
Lucivar and the others were also greeted by the thick stench of sweat lingering in the air.
Once these people heard the door opening, silence enveloped them instantly.
Only the faint rattle of chains could be heard.
Lucivar's sharp gaze swept the room, taking in the sea of prisoners that he had requested.
"It seed the lieutenant didn't disappoint this ti," He mused as a devilish smirk crept to him.
Unlike the others who asked for resources to beco stronger—as a reward for saving the city, Lucivar asked for sothing far more peculiar, and sinister. He asked the lieutenant to give him all of the city's prisoners.
Naturally, this ca as a shock—Rafi didn't expect Lucivar to ask sothing like this.
He doesn't even know what Lucivar wanted to do with the prisoners.
But he soon knew what would beco of the prisoners because Lucivar told him directly.
Death.
Lucivar wanted to kill them all.
Of course, such a request would make almost all people think that he was twisted—although he is, this request stems from what his bloodline requires him to do to beco stronger. Killing all the prisoners would give him so many gold spheres that he might achieve multiple breakthroughs.
It suddenly ca to him.
Realizing that the city was mainly focused on its markets, there must be a lot of thieves.
And Lucivar took advantage of that through his request.
Doing it this way would allow him to stay clean.
He didn't need to garner attention and be caught by the Hybrid Association, and the city would also benefit—from having him get rid of the trash of society. It was a very win-win situation and Lucivar was happy to think of this request.
Despite the hiccups with the jury, Sir Balatin—Rafi managed to round these prisoners up.
Lucivar and the others stepped inside, their footsteps echoed through the entire crypt.
Behind, Sabrina sucked in a cold breath.
She was wondering what Lucivar was planning to do to help her stronger, to make her feel aroused, and she was expectant to see what he had in store. But to think that he rounded up these prisoners which would effectively make him free from worries, it was beyond her expectations.
Not to ntion, Lucivar even tailored the targets to her liking.
A sadistic smile crept to her face, 'Ah… Master Lucivar is the best!
'I can't wait to hear them scream…' She thought, her eyes flickering happily. 'I'm wet already'
Every prisoner wore the sa brown, haggard tunic and was branded on their forehead.
But there were so who weren't.
Ravenna noticed them instantly.
"Who are they?" She asked, a frown creeping onto her face. "I don't think they're prisoners"
"I asked them to pick up the holess from the streets as additions," Lucivar laughed, the holess added quite a lot to the pigs he was going to slaughter today. "With how many were brought here, the suburbs' street must've been clean of them"
"Wow, I was deceived…" Ravenna giggled. "I initially thought you were innocent but you're the worst"
"And that's why you're flocking onto , isn't it?" Lucivar smirked at her playfully.
Glancing to the other side of the crypt, there were multiple wooden stakes placed and erected there, their presence was akin to a ghost ready to rip everyone apart, "What about those stakes? Are you going to use them or were they a part of the crypt already?" Sabrina asked.
"I'm going to use them," Lucivar cast her a knowing look. "it's a gift for you"
Soon, the three stepped on a very short platform, two stones tall.
An axe was waiting for Lucivar there along with two executioners wearing a see-through black sack.
Instead of taking the axe, Lucivar faced the seas of prisoners.
"I am the academy hunter who was going to pardon all of you as a celebration for the city being saved and born anew," Lucivar said with a commanding tone. "Once you are brought forward, please, show so gratitude and confess your sin. I will make sure to pardon you all as long as you say only the truth"
…
Monts earlier.
A man by the na of Robert was kneeling amongst the sea of prisoners.
He was accused of stealing by a rchant and since the rchant was a well-known one, having quite a considerable standing in the city, the guards took him without hearing his side of the story and threw him into the prison along with other thieving prisoners.
It made him angry—being accused made him angry.
But what made him angry the most was that the guards trusted the rchant instantly.
No matter how much he tried to explain himself, it fell on deaf ears.
Today marked his fifth day of him being imprisoned, and he was breaking down from not knowing how long he would be here. However, good news ca when the prison guard told the prisoners that by the generosity of the academy hunters, they were going to be pardoned, no matter their cris.
Naturally, this was good news for Robert.
Even though he wasn't as happy as the other prisoners, considering that the others had been sentenced for years if not their entire life here, he was still happy that he could leave. Before being pardoned, they first need to et the academy hunters who pardoned them.
A chance to show their appreciation for their generosity.
But that was hours ago.
Now, Robert felt his knees hurting from kneeling for hours on end.
It was dark and he could barely see through the sack that was placed on his head.
He could vaguely see two silhouettes standing in front but nothing other than that.
Although he was happy that he would be getting out, he beca skeptical the mont the cold barren air inside the crypt hits him—a place ill-suited for a celebration, 'Sothing is off, I don't think we are being brought to the academy hunters. What is this?'
"My fucking knees hurt!"
"Hey, dumb-asses! Let us stand or even take this damn sack off of our heads!"
"No… I don't think we're being pardoned. We're going to die!!"
"Shut the fuck up!"
"Where the fuck is the academy hunters? I'm ready to kiss their feet"
From the sounds of it, like Robert, the prisoners were also becoming restless by the hour.
But it was at that mont he realized sothing, 'Am I at the very front?'
Robert could hear the shouts coming from behind, so he must be at the very front but fortunately, he could feel soone kneeling on either of his sides. Just then, the shouts from the prisoners stopped in an abrupt manner when the sound of the door opening echoed.
Everyone beca silent.
A group of people ca inside, three from the sounds of it and they were talking about sothing.
'I can't hear them,' Robert stressed, feeling an ominous air enveloping the entire chamber.
Each echoing footstep from the group made Robert's heart pounded harder.
Soon, an academy hunter presumably, addressed them.
"I am the academy hunter who was going to pardon all of you as a celebration for the city being saved and born anew. Once you are brought forward, please, show so gratitude and confess your sin. I will make sure to pardon you all as long as you say only the truth"
Upon saying that, Robert could feel the person to his left was taken and brought forward.
Despite trying his best to look through the sack, he couldn't see anything.
Only a flickering torch that seed to be the only light source.
"What is your na?" the commanding voice echoed again, asking the prisoner.
"Ian" the prisoner answered.
"What is your sin? Confess it to and you'll be pardoned"
"I killed a person for mocking and I don't regret it"
"Hmm, I see. Now, with this, I will pardon you. You, Ian, are now free…"
Spurt!
Robert's heart thumped when he heard a squelching sound, grating against his eardrums.
"W- What was that?" He whispered hauntingly.
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